Climbing out of a $900M (pot)hole

One of the biggest hurdles to addressing infrastructure has been the city’s financial problems. San Diego is emerging from perhaps its darkest chapter which saw public confidence plummet after a pension scandal that crippled city finances for a decade. With its credit rating suspended, the city couldn’t access the municipal bond market and its low interest rates for five years. That led to unfunded projects piling up and created the massive backlog that exists today. The city’s credit was restored under former Mayor Jerry Sanders, but the city remains far behind in addressing repairs to streets, buildings and storm drains.

The problem is so bad that the city’s independent budget analyst estimated the city would need to spend an additional $31 million that most believe it can’t afford just to maintain the status quo in the coming year.

The Infrastructure Committee meets at 9 a.m. Monday on the 12th floor at City Hall. The other council members on the panel are Marti Emerald, Sherri Lightner and Scott Sherman.